Detergent composition



United States Patent DETERGENT COMPOSITION Edgar E. Ruff, Bergenfield,and James L. Thornton, Oradell, N.J., assignors to Lever BrothersCompany, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Maine No Drawing. ApplicationOctober 7, 1954 Serial No. 461,009

Claims. (Cl. 252-137) in admixture with one or more detergents such asthe alkyl aryl sulfonates, ethylene oxide derivatives of phenols, andsalts of sulfated lauryl alcohol. The compositions are described ashaving detergent and surface active properties, but those in which thealkyl substituent on the nitrogen atom has from fourteen to eighteencarbon atoms are said to 'be less effective as foaming agents. Moreover,such suds as are produced by these compounds alone or in detergentcompositions are to a certain extent destroyed by chlorine bleaches suchas the hypochlorites commonly used in household laundering. It is, ofcourse, desirable that detergents suds satisfactorily in the presence ofa bleach, particularly with relation to stability of the activecomponents and maintenance of suds, because bleaches are widely used.

In the Richardson Patent No. 2,383,737 there are described combinationsof the ethanolamides and glycerolamides of fatty acids having twelve tofourteen carbon atoms with sulfate and sulfonate synthetic detergents,and these compounds are said to build or improve the cleansingefiiciency of the detergents. The Richardson and MeAllister Patent No.2,383,738 describes similar detergent combinations with lower alkylsubstituted amides of fatty acids having from ten to fourteen carbonatoms; these amides do not contain hydroxyl groups. Both of thesepatents refer only to combinations of these materials with sulfate andsulfonate detergents. 'The detergent higher N-substituted ,S-aminopropionates are not mentioned, nor are the palmitic alkanolamides.

In accordance with the present invention, a palmitic alkanolamide havingthe general formula I OH 7 CnHgC-NHCHzOH-R (I) wherein R is selectedfrom the group consisting of hydrogen and methyl, is used in a smallamount in admixture with N-substituted B-amino propionates and a-aminoacetates to overcome the destructive effect of bleach upon the sudsingthereof. The B-amino propionates and a-amino acetates whose sudsing isimproved in accordance with the invention can be defined by thefollowing general formula:

R--NH [CH ,,-COOX (II) wherein R is an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical ormixed aliphatic hydrocarbon radicals having from six to eighteen carbonatoms and an iodine value (average) of less than about twenty, n is oneor two and X is a salt-forming cation whose salt with the amino acid iswater-soluble, such as an alkali metal cation, for instance, sodium,potassium, and ammonium, or an organic amine such as ethanolamine,diethanolamine, triethanolamine, monoethanolamine, butylamine,monoisopropanolamine, mixed isopropanolamines, diethylene glycol amine,aminoethylethanolamine, ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine,tetraethanol ammonium hydroxide, and morpholine. Accordingly, theinvention relates to a detergent composition comprising an aliphatichydrocarbon amino acid salt of Formula II and a small amount of apalmitic alkanolamide of Formula I in proportion to the amino acid.

The beneficial effect of the palmitic alkanolamide is realized in anydetergent composition which contains about 1% or more of the N-aliphaticamino acid salt. Thus, the beneficial effect of the palmiticalkanolamide is realized in compositions which consist entirely of theN-aliphatic amino acid salt and palmitic alkanolamide as well as incompositions in which the N-aliphatic amino acid salt is a minoringredient.

The amount of palmitic alkanolamide needed to lessen the destructiveaction of bleach is widely variable. Improvement is generally obtainedwhen the palmitic alkanolamide is present in an amount as low as 0.2% byweight of the total composition. Optimum benefits are obtained withinthe range of about 2 to about 10% by weight of the total composition.

It is significant that the ability of the palmitic alkanolamide tolessen the destructive action of a bleach upon detergent compositionscontaining the N-aliphatic amino acid salt is not shared by homologousalkanolamides. For example, the myristic and lauric ethanolamides andisopropanolamides fail almost completely to counteract the destructiveaction of bleach on the suds of a detergent composition containing 4.5%of the sodium salt of N-coconut oil fatty alkyl B-alanine, whereas thepalmitic isopropanolamide is effective, and wholly counteracts thedestructive action on sudsing at these concentrations.

Those skilled in the art will recognize the N-aliphatic amino acid saltsdefined above to be N-alkyl or N-alkenyl p-alanine and glycine salts.Because of the low iodine value, the extent of unsaturation is lowenough to refer to these as N-alkyl salts, and this usage hereinafterwill be understood to be inclusive of the small proportion of N-alkenylradicals that is permissible. It is preferred that the alkyl radicalsattached to the nitrogen have from twelve to eighteen carbon atoms.However, in the case of alkyl mixtures, at least of the alkyls can havefrom twelve to eighteen carbon atoms, and a small amount of alkylshaving from six to ten carbon atoms is permissible, up to about 25%being satisfactory. Such mixtures are conveniently available as themixed fatty alkyl radicals derived from coconut oil and palm kernel oil,both hydrogenated and unhydrogenated, but they can also be made upsynthetically. ,Lauryl, capryl, myristyl, palmityl, stearyl, palmitolyland oleyl alkyl radicals also can be used, alone or in admixture.Typical of such compounds are the sodium, potassium and triethanolaminesalts of N-coconut oil fatty alkyl fl-alanine (the aliphatic radicalssubstituted on the nitrogen atoms being derived from coconut oil fattyacids), N-coconut oil fatty alkyl a-glycine, N-dodecyl [El-alanine,N-octadecyl B-alanine, N-dodecylmethyl B-aminopropionate, N-diamylfi-aminopropionate, and N-oleylmethyl B-aminopropionate, N-dodecylglycine, N-octadecyl glycine, N-methyldodecyl glycine and N-dihexylglycine.

In addition to the active ingredients specified above, the compositionsof the invention can include other ingredients, both active and inert,that are commonly used in the formulation of detergent compositions.Examples of such ingredients are the anionic sulfated and sulfonateddetergents containing at least about six and preferably from abouttwelve to about twenty-six carbon atoms to the molecule. As suitableexamples of aliphatic detergents there are mentioned the sulfuric acidesters of polyhydric alcohols incompletely csterified with higher fattyacids, e.g., coconut oil monoglyceride monosulfate; the long-chain pureor mixed higher alkyl and alkenyl sulfates, e.g., lauryl sulfate, cetylsulfate, tallow sulfate, higher fatty alcohol sulfates derived fromreduced coconut oil fatty acids; the hydroxy sulfonated fatty acids,e.g., higher fatty acid esters of dihydroxypropane sulfuric acid; thehigher fatty acid esters of lower molecular weight alkylol sulfonicacids, e.g., oleic acid ester of isethionic acid; and the like.

The alkyl aryl sulfonate detergents can also be employed as ingredientsof the composition of the present invention. These may be mononuclear orpolynuclear in structure. The aromatic nucleus may be derived frombenzene, toluene, xylene, phenol, cresols, naphthalene, etc. The alkylsubstituent on the aromatic nucleus may vary widely as long as thedesired detergent power of the active ingredient is preserved. While thenumber of sulfonic acid groups present on the nucleus may vary, it isusual to have one such group present in order to preserve as much aspossible a balance between the hydrophilic and hydrophobic portions ofthe molecule.

Specific examples of suitable alkyl aromatic sulfonate detergents arethe higher alkyl aromatic sulfonates. The higher alkyl substituent onthe aromatic nucleus may be branched or straight-chain in structure. Itcomprises such groups as decyl, dodecyl, keryl, pentadecyl and the like.Preferred examples of this class are the higher alkyl mononuclear arylsulfonates wherein the alkyl group contains from about eight to abouttwenty-two, and preferably from about twelve to eighteen, carbon atoms.It is preferred to use the higher alkyl benzene or toluene sulfonateswherein the higher alkyl group contains from about twelve to sixteencarbon atoms. For example, propylene may be polymerized to the tetramerand condensed with benzene or toluene in the presence of aFriedel-Crafts catalyst to yield essentially the dodecyl benzene ortoluene derivative which is suitable for sulfonation to the desiredsulfonate compounds. The various anionic detergents are usually used inthe form of their water-soluble salts such as the organic amine andalkali metal, including ammonium, salts, as defined by X in Formula II.

A preferred composition according to the present invention can beprepared by incorporating the palmitic alkanolamide into a detergentcomposition comprising, in addition to the N-aliphatic amino acid salt,an N-acyl tauride and an aliphatic alcohol sulfate.

The higher N-acyl taurides should have the formula:

R1 R-C O-ILF-CHaCHr-S 01X (III) where R is an aliphatic radical or mixedaliphatic radicals of a higher fatty acid or mixture thereof such asalkyl or alkenyl, having from thirteen to seventeen carbon atoms, R, ishydrogen or methyl, and X is a salt-forming cation as set forth in thedefinition of Formula II. Examples of taurides and methyl taurides arepalmitic, oleic, and stearic taurides and methyl taurides, and the mixedfatty alkyl (from tallow and coconut oil) taurides and methyl taurides.A mixture of palmitic and oleic methyl taurides in which the palmiticand oleic radicals are in the proportion of about 4:1 is also suitableas seen in subsequent examples.

The aliphatic alcohol sulfate RSO X in the preferred composition shouldcontain an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical of from six to eighteen carbonatoms and an iodine value (average) of less than about twenty althoughin the case of fatty alcohol mixtures at least 75% can have from twelveto eighteen carbon atoms and the remaining alcohols from six to tencarbon atoms, and X can be as in Formula II above. For example, laurylsulfate, stearyl sulfate and cetyl sulfate, or sulfated mixtures offatty alcohols obtained from Coconut oil, are typical.

In all of the preceding general formulae, suitable changes may benecessary, depending on the valence of X, as will be obvious to oneskilled in the art. In addition, in the above formulae R and K, havebeen defined as hydrocarbon radicals, but it will be obvious that thesubstitutions in these radicals which do not render the productsunsuitable for the use described would give equivalent results.

In the preferred composition, the N-aliphatic amino acid salt, theN-acyl tauride and the aliphatic alcohol sulfate comprise the activedetergents and are preferably present in the proportions ofapproximately 5 to 80% of the amino acid salt, 10 to 50% of the N-acyltauride and 10 to of the aliphatic alcohol sulfate, by weight of theactive detergent. The relative proportions of the above detergents willbe selected depending somewhat on the chain length of the aliphaticradical in the compounds or mixtures thereof and the exact useproperties desired.

The active detergents of our composition also may be compounded withbuilders such as phosphates, silicates, carbonates, and otherconventional ingredients used in formulating detergent compositions. Theingredients may be slurried together and spray or drum dried in theconventional manner and may be marketed in any dry or solid form, asflakes, chips, powders, granules, or as liquid solutions, etc.

The phosphates may be any of those conventionally used in detergents.While trisodium phosphate may be employed, it is preferred to utilizethe so-called polyphosphates, such as tetrasodium pyrophosphate,pentasodium tripolyphosphate and sodium tetraphosphate, or mixturesthereof in any proportion. For example, a typical composition contains7.5 to 25% of active detergents and may contain from 25% upwards of thephosphates, preferably about 40 to 55%. These may comprise, forinstance, 45% tripolyphosphatc or a mixture of 30% pyrophosphate and 15%tripolyphosphate.

The silicate present in the composition may be any of those forms ofsodium silicate conventionally employed in detergent formulations, butpreferably has a ratio of sodium oxide to silica as represented by theformula Na O:2.4SiO This may be present in an amount up to 10% andpreferably about 4 to 8%. The silicate functions as a corrosioninhibitor. In order to maintain the silicate in its corrosion inhibitingform, a small amount of sodium carbonate may be present, and amounts of1 to 5%, preferably about 3% may be included. A small amount ofcarboxymethylcellulose, generally less than 1%, may also be includedtogether with smaller amounts of perfume, dyes, and optical bleaches.The balance can be water and inert diluents and fillers, such as sodiumsulfate and other inert salts.

In order to more fully describe the invention, the following examplesare presented.

EXAMPLES 1 TO 8 A base detergent composition of the followingcomposition was prepared:

Sodium sulfate and misc. to 97.0%.

1 Made from a. mixture of 80% palmltlc and 20% oleic acid chloride.

To individual portions of the base detergent composition, there wasadded 3% of an alkanolamide to evaluate the effect of differentalkanolamides upon the composition. The alkanolamides tested includedthe ethanolamides and isopropanolamides of iauric, myristic, palmiticand stearic acids.

The effect of bleach upon each of the resultant detergent compositionswas evaluated using a Terg-O-Tometer in two tests with a washingtemperature of 120 F., and a paddle oscillation rate of 90 completecycles per minute. The paddles operate through a 320 are. One liter ofwater (50 p.p.m. hardness) was added at a temperature slightly above thewashing temperature to compensate for the temperature drop in theTerg-O-Tometer cup.

Test A.-1.32 grams of the detergent composition was dissolved in thewater and 1.76 grams of vacuum cleaner soil was added and agitated 1minute. Twelve pieces of clean desized cotton sheeting approximately 4%"x 6" were next added one by one. The agitation was re-started and theamount of suds was estimated after 10 minutes and again after 15 minutesof agitation according to the following system:

Grade -No suds Grade 1-Trace of suds Grade 2-More than trace, but notover coverage of surface Grade 3% to coverage Grade 4% to /2 coverageGrade 5-'/: to coverage Grade 6-% to full coverage At the end of 15minutes there was added 3.5 m1. of Clorox (sodium hypochlorite) and asuds rating was made again 5 minutes after the addition of the bleach.

Test B.This test was identical with Test A except that only 0.44 gram ofcomposition and 0.20 gram of vacuum cleaner dust were added to the waterand the bleach was added after minutes operation instead of afterminutes.

The results of both tests were as follows:

Table l TERG-O-TOMETER SUDS VALUES Test A Test B Alkenolamide Eon min.

Control (no alkanolamide) Laurie ethanolamlde Myristic ethanolamide.Palmltlc ethsnolamide. Stearlc ethanolamlde Laurie isopropanolamide....Myristlc isopropanolamide-.

Palrnitlc lsopropanolamlde Stearlc isopropanolamide..-.

rewoaeeemmaeae:

emmmmaunmnee HMHOMNCOO WNNNMUIOQNIQ OhHOHmOt-H The results show that ofthe compounds tested only the palmitic alkanolamides preventedsubstantial destruction of the suds by the bleach under both of theconditions tested.

EXAMPLES 9 AND 10 A base detergent composition of the followingformulation was prepared:

Percent Sodium salt of N-coconut oil fatty alkyl lit-alanine 4.5

Sodium lauryl sulfate 2.5 Pentasodium tripolyphosphate 45.0 Sodiumsilicate (Na O:2.4SiO 6.0 Sodium carbonate 3.0 Sodiumcarboxymethylcellulose 0.5

Sodium sulfate and misc. to 97.0%.

The base composition was divided into three equal portions. To oneportion there was added 3% of palmitic ethanolamide and to anotherportion there was added 3% of palmitic isopropanolamide. The resultantthree compositions were then evaluated under the conditions specifiedfor Test A. The results are as follows:

6 Table II TERG-O IOMETER SUDS VALUES Test A Control (no alkenolamide)Pelmltlc ethanolemide Palmltlc isopropanolamlde It is evident that thepalmitic alkanolamides have a beneficial effect and considerably lessenthe destructive action of the bleach.

EXAMPLES 11 AND 12 A base detergent composition of the followingformulation was prepared:

Percent Sodium salt of N-coconut oil fatty alkyl fi-alanine 4.5 Sodiumpalmitic-oleic methyl tauricle 5.0 Sodium tripolyphosphate 45.0 Sodiumsilicate (Na O:2.4 SiO,) 6.0 Sodium carbonate 3.0 Sodiumcarboxymethylcellulose 0.5

Sodium sulfate and misc. to 97.0%

1 Same as Example 1.

This base detergent composition was separated into three equal portionsand tested according to the procedure of Test A.

To one of the portions there was added 3% of palmitic ethanolamide andto another portion, 3% of palmitic isopropanolamide. The results are asfollows:

the palmitic alkanolamides in lessening the destructive action of thebleach.

EXAMPLES 13 TO 18 A series of detergent compositions of the followingformulations were prepared:

Percent Composition Example No 13 14 15 18 17 18 Sodium salt ofN-coconut oil fatty alkyl B-alanine 9.5 9.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 Sodiumpalmltlc-oleie methyl tauride l 5. 0 5. 0 4. 75 4. 75 Sodium palmltate0.25 0. 25 Palmitlc lsopropanolamide 3. 0 3. 0 3. 0 Pentasodlumtripolyphosphate- 45. 0 45. 0 45. 0 45. 0 45. 0 45. 0 Sodium silicate (N8101 2.4Si0r).. 5. 0 6. 0 6. 0 6. 0 6. 0 6. 0 Sodium carbonate 3. 0 3. 03.0 3. 0 3. 0 3. 0 Sodium sulfate and misc 36. 5 36. 5 36. 5 36. 5 35. 536. 5

1 Same as Example 1.

Each of the compositions was tested by the procedure of. Test A using aconcentration of 2.64 grams per liter. The results of these tests are asfollows:

Table IV Table VI TERG-O-TOMETER sUDs VALUES TERGO-TOMETER sUDs RATINGSExample No 1a 14 15 15 11 1s 6 Example N a0 31 a2 33 a4 as as 6 6 5 5 5I lmltic Iso ro anoi- 10mm" 5 a 5 e 5 e amide, Per cezii; 0 0.25 0.501.0 2.0 3.0 10.0 0 4 0 5 0 5 10min 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 e e e 0 2 4 4 ee e 10 Again the results show that the palmitic rsopropanol- 1B d t inamide present in Examples 14, 16 and 18 materially lessleach adde heminute read g ens the destructive efiect of the bleach on suds. I

The above results show that the palmttic lsopropanol- EXAMPLES 19 To 29amide has a lessening effect on the destructive action of 15 bleachstarting at a 0.25% concentration, and that opti- A series of detergentcompositions of the following mum results are obtained at aconcentration ranging from formulations were prepared: 2.0 to 10% byweight of the detergent composition.

Example No. 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Sodium salt oi N-coconutoil iatty alkyl fl-alanine Sodium methyl tauride derivative of tallowfatty acids Ste anol D (sodium lauryl sulfate). 80 turn alkylbenzenesultonate Eodium salt of N -coconut oil fatty alkyl glycine 4. 5 Pentasodium trlpolyphosphate. 45.0 45.0 45.0 45. 0 45. 0 45. 0 45. 0 45. 045. 0 45. 0 45. 0 Sodium slllcate 6.0 6.0 6. 0 6.0 6.0 6. 0 6.0 6.0 6.06.0 6.0 Sodium carbonate 3.0 3.0 3.0 3. 0 3.0 3.0 3.0 8.0 3. 0 3.0 3. 0Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose... 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.50.5 0. 5 Sodium sulfate and misc Balance Balance Balance Balance BalanceBalance Balance Balance Balance Balance Balance l Polypropylene alkyl oi12 to 15 carbon atoms attached to benzene nucleus.

Each of the above compositions was tested by the procedure of Test Awith and without the addition of palmitic isopropanolamide, and withpalmitic ethanolamide in the case of Example 29. The following resultswere obtained.

Table V WITHOUT PALMITIC ISOPROPANOLAMIDE Terg-O-Tometer suds ratings,120 F., 50 p.p.m. water] Example N0 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29WITH 3.0% PALMITIC ISOPROPANOLAMIDE WITH 3.0% PALMITIU ETHANOLAMIDE 1Bleach added after the 15 minute reading.

Again the results show that the palmitic isopropanolamide and thepalmitic ethanolamide overcome the destructive effect of the bleach onsuds.

EXAMPLES 30 TO 36 A series of detergent compositions were made up todemonstrate the eifectiveness of various concentrations of the palmiticisopropanolamide, using the formulation of Example 24. The amount ofpalmitic isopropanolamide added is shown in the following table,together with the suds ratings as obtained by Test A above.

wherein R is at least one aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having an iodinevalue of less than about twenty, of which from 75 to 100% has fromtwelve to eighteen carbon atoms and the remainder. if any, has from sixto eighteen carbon atoms, n is a whole number selected from the groupconsisting of one and two, and X is a salt-forming cation, and a smallamount within the range from about 0.2 to about 10% of palmitieisopropanolamide of the formula:

2. A composition according to claim 1 in which the N-aliphatichydrocarbon amino acid salt is sodium N-coconut oil fatty alkylfl-alanine.

3. A detergent composition in accordance with claim 1 which includes atleast about 25% of a polyphosphate.

4. A detergent composition consisting essentially of from about 5% toabout of a water-soluble N-aliphatic hydrocarbon amino acid salt of theformula:

wherein R is at least one aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having an iodinevalue of less than about twenty, of which from 75 to has from twelve toeighteen carbon atoms and the remainder, if any, has from six toeighteen carbon atoms, n is a whole number selected from the groupconsisting of one and two, and X is a 9 salt-forming cation, from about10% to about 50% of a water-soluble N-acyl tauride of the formula:

I? R-C -N-o mom-4 Dix in which R is at least one aliphatic hydrocarbonradical having from thirteen to seventeen carbon atoms, R is selectedfrom the group consisting of hydrogen and methyl and X is a salt-formingcation, from about 10% to about 85% of a water-soluble aliphatic alcoholsulfate of the formula RS0 X where R is an aliphatic hydrocarbon radicalhaving an iodine value of less than about twenty, of which from 75 to100% has from twelve to eighteen carbon atoms and the remainder, if any,has from six to eighteen carbon atoms, and X is a salt-forming cation,and a small amount within the range from about 0.2 to about 10% of apalmitic alkanolamide of the formula:

H OH C1lHsiCNHCH2( JH-R wherein R is selected from the group consistingof hydrogen and methyl.

5. The composition of claim 4 in which the amino acid is primarilysodium N-coconut oil fatty alkyl p-alanine.

6. The composition of claim 4 in which the N-acyl tauride is primarily amixture of sodium palmitic and oleic methyl taurides.

7. The composition of claim 4 in which the sulfate is primarily sodiumlauryl sulfate.

8. The composition of claim 4 in which the amino acid is primarilysodium N-coconut oil fatty alkyl fi-alanine, the N-acyl tauride isprimarily a mixture of sodium palmitic and oleic methyl taurides, andthe sulfate is primarily sodium lauryl sulfate.

9. The composition of claim 4 including an inorganic builder constituentcomprising at least 25% of phosphate.

10. A detergent composition consisting essentially of from about 5% toabout 80% of a water-soluble N-aliphatic hydrocarbon amino acid salt ofthe formula:

where R is at least one aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having an iodinevalue of less than about twenty, of which from 75 to 100% has fromtwelve to eighteen carbon atoms and the remainder, if any, has from sixto eighteen carbon atoms, n is a whole number selected from the groupconsisting of one and two, and X is a salt-forming cation from about toabout 85% of a water-soluble aliphatic alcohol sulfate of the formulaRSO X where R is an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having an iodine valueof less than about twenty, of which from 75 to 100% has from twelve toeighteen carbon atoms and the remainder, if any, has from six toeighteen carbon atoms, and X is a salt-forming cation, and a smallamount within the range from about 0.2 to about 10% of a palmiticalkanolamide of the formula:

0 on C1sHsi NHCHs where R is selected from the group consisting ofhydrogen and methyl.

11. A detergent composition in accordance with claim 10 which includesat least about 25% of e polyphosphste.

12. A detergent composition consisting essentially of from about 5% toabout of a water-soluble N-aliphatic hydrocarbon amino acid salt of theformula:

in which'R is at least one aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having fromthirteen to seventeen carbon atoms, R, is selected from the groupconsisting of hydrogen and methyl and X is a salt-forming cation, and asmall amount within the range from about 0.2 to about 10% of a palmiticalkanolamide of the formula:

wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and methyl.

13. A detergent composition in accordance with claim 12 which includesat least about 25% of a polyphosphate. 14. A detergent compositionconsisting essentially of from about 5% to about 80% of a water-solubleN-aliphatic hydrocarbon amino acid salt of the formula:

wherein R isat least one aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having an iodinevalue of less than about twenty, of which from 75 to 100% has fromtwelve to eighteen carbon atoms and the remainder, if any, has from sixto eighteen carbon atoms, n is a whole number selected from the groupconsisting of one and two, and X is a salt-forming cation, from about10% to about of a water-soluble alkyl aromatic sulfonate having at leastone alkyl radical having from eight to twenty-two carbon atoms attachedto the aromatic nucleus, and a small amount within the range from about0.2 to about 10% of a palmitic alkanolarnide of the formula:

wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and methyl.

15. A detergent composition in accordance with claim 14 which includesat least about 25% of a polyphosphate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,156,996 Martin May 2, 1939 2,383,737 Richardson Aug. 28, 19452,383,738 Richardson Aug. 28, 1945 2,619,467 Isbell Nov. 25, 19522,733,213 Vltale Ian. 31, 1956

1. A DETERGENT COMPOSITION CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF A WATER-SOLUBLEN-ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBON AMINO ACID SALT OF THE FORMULA:
 3. A DETERGENTCOMPOSITION IN ACCORDANCE WITH CLAIM 1 WHICH INCLUDES AT LEAST ABOUT 25%OF A POLYPHOSPHATE.